Chocolat Chaud
by Nerdy Ninja in Training
Summary: Beauty and the beast!au. Derek goes out looking for his lost sisters but ends up finding Scott instead...
1. Chapter 1

Derek ducked as soon as he entered the doorway, glanced at the doodad that almost took his head off before he looked at the disaster the girls made of the room and sighed when he saw the mess the both of his sisters made of themselves.

Well, at least what he could see of Laura was a complete mess. Her clothes covered in soot and her arm, which was covered in some oily substance that Derek didn't even want to guess what it was, was blindly reaching back to where Cora was behind her.

"Could you hand me the-" Cora planted whatever tool Laura needed into her sister's palm, Laura's grimy fingers curling around it before she pulled it into whatever contraption she had her upper body trapped in, "Thanks!"

Cora rolled her eyes, "You're not even in that deep, stop shouting or you'll wake up the deer in the next forest over."

Derek chuckled, coming to stand beside Cora but made sure he stayed a foot or two away from her to keep from getting dirty, "What are you two up to?"

"The next big thing," Cora deadpanned, and Laura made an indignant shout.

"It is!"

"Couldn't agree on what to work on again?" Derek asked and crossed his arms like Cora did as he looked over the machine.

"Something like that," Cora muttered and Derek could hear Laura's answering huff even over all the noise.

Derek thinks this was one of the machines Mom must have designed. He remembers seeing something vaguely like the machine in front of him on paper but he couldn't really recall it. He couldn't really recall most of the things before the fire having been hit with a beam and knocked unconscious for most of the ordeal. Though it wasn't as if he had lost trade secrets, Laura was really the only one in training with Peter at the time and she had only learned a few things before the fire and carried the information with her everyday. He and Cora were too young to even understand what his parents did but now (for the past couple of years, actually) he had wished they showed them at least something.

Because now, they would be facing the threat of the streets sooner or later and what was left of their family's fortune Laura had spent to build the cottage they're living in now. Though it's a little odd and worn in some places, Derek couldn't ever think of leaving this place.

"And 'something like that' would mean?"

Laura pushed herself out of the contraption, making a big ruckus so Cora wouldn't speak before her, "It _means_ ," She gave a pointed look to Cora, "that Cora is actually ecstatic to work on this but she's just acting like she isn't." She pushed her hair out of her eyes and towards the messy thing on the top of her head that kept the rest of her hair out of her face.

Derek chuckled, moving to stand behind Laura to pull her hair out of the mess she made it and combed his fingers through it to make it somewhat tame before he started to french braid her hair, "I see, is this what you've been doing all day, _ma soeur?_ "

"No, I slept a little too." Laura chuckled, already starting to get fidgety while she waited for Derek to be done with her hair, "What about you, Derek? What have you been up too? You left really early to go to the market."

Derek felt himself blush before he could stop himself, pointedly not looking at Cora even though he could feel the weight of her gaze, "I wanted to finish reading my book again before I returned it. So I left early to finish it there and return it when I was done, and then go pick up food from the market."

"Wait, are you talking about the book you finished _last night?_ You read that thing _again_ , Derek?"

Derek felt heat rush into his cheeks but he refused to acknowledge it, just continued on braiding Laura's long hair, "Yes."

"Don't know why you're surprised," Cora piped up, "He practically had his nose glued into that thing."

"Shut up, Cora."

"Hey, wait a minute. You don't sound too upset about giving it back," Laura tried to turn her head to look over her shoulder at her brother, but Derek directed her head forward again, mumbling for her to stop moving or the braid wouldn't turn out right, "Did you check it out again?"

Derek shook his head, his blush deepened, "No, Deaton said I've read it so much, I should just keep it." He shrugged, finally over half way done with braiding Laura's hair, "No one else really checks it out once I've put it back anyway. So he gave it to me as a gift."

Cora snorted, undid her tool belt and set it onto one of the already overcrowded work tables they had, "Did you check out another book too?"

"No, I had to go pick up food before the market got busy."

If it was one thing they all didn't like, it was going out when the market was bustling with loud obnoxious crowds. People were wary of them and thought they all turned crazy after the fire so they all got lingering stares and Derek could hear the suspicious mummers that passed through people's lips as they walked by. They could at least have tried to be more subtle.

Though he guessed they didn't really add to the cause. Him and Cora were both too closed off to appear friendly and loved being at home. Laura friendly and outgoing but she was too strange from the average woman there to be seen as any sane one. So they either all went out together or alone at very early hours (later hours were out of the question, especially with the incident with Cora a few years ago). So they stayed in and kept to themselves for the most part.

Only one person wasn't afraid to come up and talk to them and that was Finnstock. The only other person who was known for being even crazier than them.

He was also the only person who ever bought any of Cora's and Laura's inventions and somehow made use of them.

Derek finished off Laura's braid, tying it before putting it over Laura's shoulder for her to inspect. "Thanks, Der!" She turned around and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek, "Please tell me you got more chocolate?"

Derek nodded, "You're just lucky that Greenberg boy likes you so much. He gave me extra just for you."

Laura grinned, pushing her braid back over her shoulder, "Great! We can make hot chocolate tonight to help keep us warm. Winter's coming in and I heard Finstock say it's going to be a tough one, I think we're going to have to buy more coats this time."

* * *

Cora had fallen asleep twenty minutes ago between her older siblings to Derek's reading and one of Laura's hands continuously combing her hair over her ear. Derek hadn't even bothered to continue reading once he realized she was asleep. Just put the book down behind him and moved his hand to comb through Cora's hair also.

He was sure Cora loved the book as much as he did. She liked listening to it, often peeked over his shoulder when he was reading it, and she didn't seem too happy the night before when he told her he was going to return it again in the morning.

She just didn't like to voice the things she enjoyed.

Derek sighed softly, gently scratching his nails over Cora's scalp.

"Penny for your thoughts, _petit_ _frère_ _?"_

Derek looked up at the soft inquiry, shrugging one shoulder in answer.

"Do I actually have to give you a penny for you to tell me your thoughts, Der?" Laura asked, eyebrows raising in question.

That made Derek smile, "No," he huffed, "just… thinking about Cora."

Laura's brows furrowed slightly, making a small cease on her forehead and made Derek notice the grime she was still covered in. She could never really get clean by herself, "What about Cora?"

"Things."

The corners of Laura's mouth turned downwards and Derek looked back down to Cora, focusing on combing his fingers through her hair again. "Is something wrong, Derek?"

He shook his head.

"Okay...Anything else on your mind?"

Derek looked up at that, "The machine you and Cora are working on, I've seen it before, haven't I?"

"Yeah, actually," Laura smiled, big and bright. The sight of it eased him, "It was something I was designing before the fire. Of course," She plucked at a piece of Cora's hair, lifting it up before letting it go and smoothing it over again, "there was a few kinks in it, but Mom really liked the idea. She was helping me finish the plans off and then…" She shrugged. Derek knew the feeling, he didn't want to mention what happened either, "I finished designing it and now I'm polishing it off with Cora."

Derek smiled and brushed back a wayward lock of Cora's hair. He always liked hearing about their mother. She was the most creative and thoughtful person Derek had known. Nothing could seem to stop her and now… Now Laura had that same feeling to her.

Derek smiled a little wider, his lips actually framing his teeth as he spoke, "It's going to be great, Laura. The next best thing out there."

"No, Laura."

"But, Derek-"

" _No."_

" _Derek_." Laura reached out and grabbed onto his crossed arms, "This is a chance to get the Hale name back out there. You even said yourself this is the next best thing! So if we take it to the fair and win, imagine what this could mean for us."

Derek clenched his jaw, looking away from Laura's pleading brown eyes to find Cora leaning against the hallway entrance, giving him the same expression as her older sister.

"We don't know what's out there, Laura-"

"And we'll never know if we don't go," Her grip on his arms tightened, big brown eyes wide as she looked up at him, "C'mon, _petit_ _frère_ _."_

"Why are you asking me?" He asked instead of giving an answer, "You're older. You could just take everything and go without me having a say on it."

"Because I know how much you care for Cora and it wouldn't feel right if I took her with me and you weren't okay with it."

Derek stared at Laura, dumbfounded as he looked from Laura to Cora. "What if it's not safe?" He asked quietly.

Laura had the tiniest hint of a smile on her face, "Finstock gave of a map of where we need to go. He talked us through it a dozen times. I nearly have it memorized he's told us so much." She glanced over his face, moving her hands from his arms to grab onto his shoulder and cup his cheek, "You know I'll take care of her."

Derek let out a soft sigh, leaning into his sister's touch, "How long will you be gone?"

Laura lit up, "Just a few days. Enough time to get there, win first prize, and then get back home to you, _petit_ _frère_ _."_

Derek paused for a second, then nodded, "Okay." If anything he knew Laura'd keep the both of them safe. And maybe it'd be good for Cora to get out and actually enjoy herself.

Laura grinned, beautiful and bright just like their mother always did and threw her arms excitedly around him, "Thanks, Der!" She let go of him to look at Cora, "Go get everything ready, I'll start packing some food."

Cora nodded and _smiled_ , an actual excited smile that Derek hasn't seen on her face in weeks, and hurried off to their work room.

Laura watched her go as well, eyes trailing after Cora with a pleased grin on her mouth before looking back at Derek, "Well, I gotta start getting things ready too. Cora never remembers to wash her clothes."

"I'll do it." He answered quickly, grabbing onto his sister's hand to keep her there, "Laura? Thank you."

She furrowed her brows, "For what?"

"For asking me. Thank you." He couldn't tell her how much it meant. He honestly couldn't, but judging by the soft smile playing on Laura's lips she already knew.

She gave his hand a tight squeeze, leaning up on her tiptoes (even though she didn't have to) to press a sloppy kiss to his cheek.

"You're welcome, Der."

She gave one last squeeze before letting go of him, "Just remember, you signed up for laundry duty. Cora's jacket is still dirty from your guys' mud fight a while ago."

His answering groan was worth hearing her bright laughter flood the house.

* * *

"You have the map?"

"Yes, Der Bear, it's right here." Laura answered, holding up for her brother to see.

"Food?"

"All packed up and ready to go," Cora pipped in, dusting her hands off before patting one of the many bags saddled on the horse.

"What about all your tools, just in case?"

Cora snorted and Laura let out a soft sigh, coming over to rest of soothing hand on his chest, "We're bringing extra just in case, but not everything. We'll be okay, Derek, I promise."

"A few days tops?" He asked tentatively.

Laura nodded, "A few days tops."

A few days passed and left with no sign of Laura or Cora.

They didn't show up on the fourth day and by then Derek couldn't even read his book to keep his mind occupied. He stared out of the window the whole day, seeing if they'd show up at any moment so he could go out and greet them. And each second they didn't he wondered if Finstock had given them a wrong map.

The skies didn't look like they were intending to stay friendly for Laura's and Cora's trip home either. Hoards of white clouds soon turned to gray and the light rain quickly turned into a soft sheet of snow.

The clouds on the fifth morning looked as black as Finstock's dirty coat (at one point it had been brown) and only drew darker.

No matter what he told himself he couldn't get his head to believe it.

Laura and Cora weren't the type to wander. They wouldn't waste time on things they didn't have to. Nor would they purposefully take longer than necessary.

They could have gotten robbed for their invention and left to rot on the side of the road somewhere. Or they won first prize and someone got jealous of them and killed them both and claimed the prize instead. Or they both had gotten sick traveling around and now had a terminally ill fever.

Most of his thoughts were outrageous and probably fueled from all the books he's read. But he couldn't help the nagging feeling that his sisters needed him. And maybe that was just fueled from the loneliness of the cottage being so empty.

But...

They could have gotten lost, and with the storm out they'd possibly freeze to death.

Not even hot chocolate had eased that thought.

Nor did the thought of being safe and under the blankets throughout the night or having all of the food here with him or the warm fire he could start and start again make him want to stay home. Or even being here when his sisters finally came back.

Derek glanced out the window and then to his jacket by the door. The snow outside gave him all the prompting he needed.


	2. Chapter 2

The snow had already started to settle on the ground, covering up anyway Derek could track his sisters. Though, he was pretty sure their tracks could've been gone within a few days of them leaving.

Derek was also pretty sure he's just been wandering around for hours aimlessly within the trees. Soon it'd be too dark to see and he'd have to spend the night out in the snow.

Laura would hit him for being so stupid.

He just went off with only his jacket, no food, no water. He even left his book at home.

Derek huffed at himself, watching the air in front of him turn into a white puff before walking through it as it dissipated.

He wished he thought of asking Laura for a second map. If he had been smart enough he would have. Maybe even had went to Finnstock for one before leaving if he used his brain right.

"Laura! Cora!" His voice echoes throughout the trees but nothing answers him back.

He shoved his hands into the crooks of his arms and let out another huff, becoming more irritated was better than worrying himself into an early grave.

Why couldn't he have just gone with them? Have Finnstock look over the house once in a while to make sure things were still in order (even though Derek was sure he'd just make the house a complete mess but Laura and Cora do just fine of doing that themselves), made sure nobody robbed them, and start the fireplace once in a while so that the cottage would stay warm. That would have been a great idea. He could have gone with Laura and Cora, see them win, enjoy a family experience with them, and come all the way back home together so they wouldn't ever have been apart and he wouldn't be stuck here wandering-

Derek hissed when his boot caught onto something and looked down to see a broken wheel had snared his foot.

Derek frowned, stepping on the wheel with the toe of his other boot before yanking his foot free and looked up to see a wreck wooden carriage not far from him.

And not far behind that was a gate.

Could Laura and Cora have found this too?

Derek made his way past the carriage and up to the gate, a large shadow loomed just a little off in the distance and he was sure he was going to regret this as soon as he did it but… He took in a deep breath and wrapped two hands around it's cold iron bars and pushed. It gave a long, loud creek in protest as he pushed it open. Taking a few steps forward as he gazed up at the silhouette and realized what it was.

The abandoned castle.

Could Laura and Cora have found this place and went in it to hide from the cold?

Derek possibly stared at the castle longer than he needed to before finally gathering his wits and moving toward it.

* * *

Stiles woke with a jolt, blinking at the strange voice filling the foyer.

"Laura? Cora?"

Stiles rubbed at his eyes with his wax candles, hopping off of the side table he was on and made his way to the door of the castle as fast as he could. Once again he heard the unfamiliar voice call out in a rough whisper.

"Laura! Cora!"

Stiles rounds the corner and sees it- well _him_. A tall man in a black coat with his arms around his chest as if that alone would protect him from the cold. He sounded desperate whoever this man was which meant that he probably wouldn't be staying long if he didn't find what he came looking for.

Stiles hobbles back the same way he came in hopes of finding Scott in his study. He didn't want to make the long travel all the way up the stairs and down however many hallways to Scott's room.

This could be their chance to break the curse.

Luckily enough Stiles does find him in the study.

"Scott!?" Stiles was breathless by the time he pushed the door open, finding his friend standing still before the fire. No doubt watching the flames and listening to the crackle of wood. Scott had a knack for doing that these days. To get his mind off things.

Stiles hobbled forward, moving around the small table, "Scott, someone's here-"

"I know," Scott cut off, his voice sounding strangled and gruff.

Stiles paused, taking time to actually look over his friend. Scott's hands were balled up, nearly shaking with the force of it. His back tense and shoulders coming up and down too fast.

"Wowa, buddy," Stiles shimmied forward to stand a few feet from Scott, "Come on, look at me, Scott."

Scott turned slightly to face Stiles, not willing to move too much, afraid he might take off towards the stranger in his home. The voice echoing through his halls, a heartbeat other than his own filling up his ears, his _scent_ \- a mix of emotions, among them fear, longing, stress- made his nostrils flare and breathing come in even faster.

"Scott!" Scott blinked down at his friend, too wide eyes finally focusing on him.

"Scott, _breathe,"_ Stiles said, trying to instruct how to do so with his own body, but was rather hard to show considering he was a candle stick. But Scott followed along to the in and out motion of Stiles' 'arms', forcing himself to follow the pattern and tried not to focus too much on how his breath hitched when the voice grew louder. "There you go, just listen to me. He's not a threat, Scotty. He's looking for people, can't you hear the names he's saying?"

Scott gave a shaky nod.

"Right, doesn't sound like anybody from here, so he's not looking for _us_. Not a threat right?" Stiles asked.

Scott bit down on his lip, fighting the ache in his hands that meant his claws wanted to come out.

Stiles held his candle holders up in a defensive position that looked a lot like someone trying to surrender, "What does he smell like?"

"Fear," Scott gasped, "longing, like the snow from outside-"

Stiles cut him off before he could really focus on the stranger, "Alright so, maybe he's afraid of not finding the people here's looking for here. Maybe he's scared that they're lost just like he might be and that's why he's here and smells like the snow from outside. Might even be afraid that there's nothing here but him."

Scott nodded quickly, willing himself to believe that and calm down the monster inside of him. He forced himself to keep breathing evenly, and shut his eyes to block everything out. Listening to the fire crackle and letting it fill up his ears to make all the other noises melt away.

Scott felt himself relax the longer he listened to the fire. Slowly opened his eyes to find Stiles smiling up at him, "Told you you were getting better at this."

Scott snorted, still feeling just a little shaky, "I haven't had another real person in here in years, Stiles. What do I do? Let him wander until he leaves? Until he finds me? I-I don't know if I can handle being in the same room as him."

"Pick me up." Was all Stiles said.

Scott furrowed his brows, frowning, "What?" Stiles hated being picked up like he was an object.

"Just pick me up so I can look you in the eyes," Stiles huffed. Scott obliged and bent down to pick Stiles up and hold him firmly in his hand, looking at Stiles expectantly.

"What if him being the first person here in years was meant to happen, Scott? What if he's the one that can break the curse-"

"I haven't even seen him yet, Stiles, and I'm not going to oppress that on some stranger. I don't even know how to control it around other people!" Scott hissed.

"You don't have to! Remember how you learned to control it with just us? Should be no different." Scott shook his head but Stiles marched on, "It isn't. He might be your only chance, Scott. _Our_ only chance," Scott bit his lip at the mention of everyone else who had been affected by the curse, "Isn't that worth a shot?"

"Stiles, I- What would I do? Offer him a place to stay for a while? Wouldn't he want to leave if he's looking for someone?"

"Yes, do _exactly_ that. And I wouldn't want to leave with the weather as it is."

"Stiles, it's not that simple-"

" _Yes,_ it is, Scott. Just take me out there with you and hold me away from your face if you think it'll come out and if not he can see you're just a cute prince and that just might convince him to stay." Stiles wiggled his eyebrows, or at least what Scott thought was the equivalent of eyebrows for a candle stick.

Scott cracked an uneasy smile, letting out a small huff, "Okay."

"Great," Scott barely pulled Stiles away in time for him to light up his own candles by simply blowing on them and grinned up at Scott.

"I still don't understand how you're able to do that."

"Me neither!" Stiles chirped, holding his arms up high as Scott left the room to find the stranger.

* * *

Derek swallowed, eyes burning at the quiet that only seemed to answer him. He was used to being alone, but he was used to it with _them._ Laura's laugh and Cora's small snorts and their clattering about all over the cottage.

He wanted to hear Laura call him her _petit f_ _r_ _è_ _re_ and have Cora tease him about his book and hear their calming breaths as they sleep. Wanted to wake up to Laura's soft eyes looking at him and ruffling his hair before tickling Cora awake and run out into the snow just like they did last year. Cora loved the snow.

Derek swallowed again, wiping at his eyes, "Laura? Cora?" He asked softly, slumping back against a wall and letting himself slide down it to the floor, " _Où êtes-tu?"_

A throat cleared nearby and Derek nearly jumped out of his skin, ready to berate his sisters for taking so long to answer but closed his mouth as soon as he saw it was a man holding a candle.

"Uh, h-hello?"

Derek blinked at the voice, wiping at his nose before standing up to face the stranger, squinting when he couldn't quite make out his face.

"Are you lost?" The man asked again, voice softer this time. Calmer, less timid than before.

Derek nodded, then answered, "Yes," since he wasn't sure the man could quite see him either.

There was a long pause. Derek watched the man's hand tighten and loosen on the candlestick almost as a second thought. It nearly sounded like the man was trying to regulate his breathing.

"How did you end up here?" Came at last.

"I'm looking for my sisters." Derek replied, and continued on at the expectant silence, "They're inventors and they went to this fair and said they'd be back two days ago. I couldn't wait any longer so I went looking for them…" He trailed off, glancing around them for a moment before he looked back at the man, "Has anybody else been here?" He asked, too afraid to raise his voice any higher than a whisper in fear of the answer.

Another pause and then, "No. It's just me here. And no one by the names of 'Laura and Cora' have ever been in this castle." The man answered soberly.

Derek's chest tightened and the threat of tears came all over again. _He was wrong. He got lost and Laura and Cora are still out there possibly sick or freezing to death and he was stupid enough to leave home instead of waiting for them-_ "I have to leave." Derek wheezed out and was about to turn when a hand on his wrist stopped him.

"Wait," The man, close enough now that his features shown in the candlelight, had dark brown eyes, a crooked jaw, and curls that hid his forehead. His voice conveying the worry on his face, "You can't leave. The weather is getting worse and you'll get caught in the storm if you leave now."

Derek glanced at the man's hand on his wrist and he suddenly let go of it as if it burned him.

"Your sisters," The stranger started again, "they probably stayed at the fair for shelter if they noticed the storm was coming too. They don't need you getting caught out there yourself or getting hurt. Nor, do they need you to worry about them like you are. You'll worry yourself sick acting like this."

Derek furrowed his brows and glanced back at the way he came, pondering over whether staying was truly a good idea, "What if they are out there?"

"Then they'll need you to be healthy and strong and _not_ go into panic." The man answered firmly, looking at Derek as if he was sure of what he said, "I have a spare room that you can stay in for the time being. Just until the storm blows over? I think we have clothes that'll fit you for the time being. It looks like you're about the same height as my friend Stiles. Just a little wider than he is."

There was a peep from something close by and the man's hand closed tighter around the candlestick. Derek lifted an eyebrow but all the man gave him in return was a warm smile.

"I didn't think anybody was here." Derek said dumbly.

"Oh, there's plenty of people here," The man's smile seemed to grow bigger and sheepish at the same time, "We're just not used to visitors."

* * *

Derek stared at the vast empty space in the bed beside him. The utter quietness of the castle made the absence of the missing bodies that were supposed to be in the blankets with him even more evident.

The man had said that this place was full of people, the way he spoke made the castle seem like it was overflowing with them.

But if that was true, wouldn't he have heard someone by now? Or even had seen the person who's bedroom he was in? The man said it was his friend's and that he wouldn't mind if Derek had spent the night in his bed.

And besides from the odd pepping that happened every so often while the man showed him to the room, there was not another soul in sight.

Just the lone man who was named Scott.

Scott, who apparently lives in this abandoned castle with many non-existent people.

That or they're the most non-nosy people he'd ever heard of.

Derek sighed and pulled back the covers so he could get out of bed, he was getting no where trying to sleep.

Out in the hall is was eerily quiet. Every little noise seemed to jump right back at him and he made an effort to walk on the balls of his feet. He passed door after door on his way back to the staircase and couldn't believe he hadn't noticed just how many there were. Scott was going to have to show him where his room was again after this.

It was probably silly of him to be wandering around like he was, seeking out a stranger's company. But it felt better to be around Scott. It wasn't as lonely in his presence. Which was odd since him and his sisters were known for keeping to themselves. But even they had each other to keep themselves company, and spending more than a week without him made him want to be around someone. Scott was comfortable enough to take their place for now.

It didn't take as long as he thought to find the staircase that led downstairs into the foyer. Derek just couldn't remember which hall he had went down before so it took him quite a bit of wandering around until he finally stumbled upon a hallway filled with Scott's soothing voice. And… someone else's?

Derek furrowed his brows, slowing down his pace as he approached the ajar door to catch what they were saying.

"-you handled it pretty well, Scott! You didn't let it come out at all!" Came the new voice.

Let what out?

Derek pushed the door open more and found Scott talking to- a candle stick? All of his attention was focused on it and it was _moving_ all on it's own. And right when he was questioning his sanity or wondering if this was one of those weird dreams Cora gets, Scott answered back.

"That's because he was about to have a panic attack and I've handled enough of those with you to know what to do. What if he gets angry and I won't be able to hold it back? He'll see me-"

"Scott?" Derek called out.

Scott jerked as if he'd been hit, looking up at Derek with wide, bright red eyes- looking exactly like a monster straight out of those storybooks they use to teach lessons. Sharp claws dropped and fangs stretched past his lips as Scott's face morphed into something creature like.

Derek couldn't breathe, couldn't formulate words in his mind when Scott stepped forward, reached out to him-

Derek turned and ran out of the room, a strangled howl following him out of the castle.

* * *

He paused mid run when he heard a growl, stumbled over his feet and almost slammed into a tree for his effort.

Derek turned and came to face a wolf, its teeth bared with a low rumbling growl that resonated from its throat, slowly making his way toward him. Derek locked eyes with it and made sure not to look away, tried not to somehow move in a way that showed submission.

Or he's dead.

Another wolf came forward, it seemed more vicious than the first as it snarled and Derek chanced looking at it quickly, seeing about two more in the shadows behind it before he decided to just stay focused on the first one. He tried to take one slow step off to the side so he wouldn't back into the tree behind him. But as soon as he put his heel down a warning growl kept him frozen in his spot.

Wrong move.

The second one launched itself at him and Derek stumbled back against the tree right when something jumped in front of him. The wolf was knocked back, a whine escaped its mouth as its body hit the ground. The other two that were in the shadows came forward to snarl at Derek's savoir.

The man roared in response, silencing the wolves for a moment and-

"...Scott?" He asked, so quiet in fear of sparking another attack.

"Run, Derek." Came the calm response. It's only when he doesn't move, too scared of leaving and not knowing what would happen, that Scott raises his voice and tells him, "Go!"

That's when the first wolf striked, it leaped up as if to catch Scott's neck between his teeth but Scott blocked it with his arm and growled when the wolf bit into it instead. Derek heard the fabric tear as Scott threw the wolf back but the snarling increased from there and he was only able to catch whines and cries of pain from the wolves. He was only able to sit back and watch the animals attack Scott as he fought them off. His clothes were hanging off his body by the time he threw one of the wolves into a tree and watched it crumple to the ground. That seemed to be enough to spark enough fear to ward off the remaining wolves. They ran off and left Scott there. with his claws still out, he turned to Derek, looking at him dazedly before his knees buckled and he fell into the snow himself.

Derek almost turned on his heel and ran, pausing for a moment to really look at the man who just saved him. He watched blood ooze out into the snow surrounding him and the light wind blow what scraps of his shirt that was left over his skin. If Derek left him out here he'd freeze to death.

Derek moved forward to gently bend down beside Scott and scooped him up into his arms as carefully as he could. Holding him close in hopes that sharing body heat would help him hold on a little while longer. Just long enough for him to get back to the castle.


End file.
